A vehicle interior contains various trim panels, which may be attached to or formed integrally with various surfaces of the vehicle interior, such as a door panel, an instrument panel, and/or a seat panel. Trim panels are usually constructed from materials that are complimentary to the overall design of the vehicle. For example, vehicle seats may be upholstered using natural leather in highly visible locations or “show surfaces” of the seat, while synthetic or lower grade natural leather is used in less visible locations. The trim panels used within an instrument panel or on a door panel may be constructed in part from molded plastic or stamped metal, which may in turn be padded and/or upholstered using weather-resistant synthetic materials.
Within the instrument panel, glove compartments and other vehicle storage consoles are generally constructed using substantially rigid materials, such as molded plastic, although they may be trimmed with padded leather or vinyl to present a finished look or a desired aesthetic appearance. Other vehicle storage consoles are sized and shaped to conveniently hold objects such as gloves, maps, and vehicle service manuals. Additional storage may be provided elsewhere within the interior of the vehicle, for example via open storage wells/map pockets formed on or within the door panels. As with a glove compartment, such map pockets may be formed from molded plastic or another substantially rigid material, and shaped or contoured in such a manner as to blend aesthetically with the door and the remainder of the vehicle interior.